Chicken Salad with Basil and Parmesan

I was talking to my friend Babita the other day and came up with a low cal equivalent of this aromatic Chicken Salad. Using low-fat yoghurt instead of Mayonnaise, half the quantity of Parmesan Cheese, and boiling or baking the chicken with salt and pepper instead of pan frying will bring down the calorie count substantially.Fresh Basil and Celery lends a nice aromatic flavour to the salad. Arrange some boiled eggs (or egg whites) and fresh tomatoes and you’ll end up with a Chicken Salad dinner that is as satisfying as it is healthy.

Ingredients

Boneless (and skinless) chicken breasts 2

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mayonnaise 4 Tbsp

Chopped fresh Basil leaves 1 cup

Crushed garlic cloves 2-3

Celery stalks 2-3 (chooped)

Parmesan cheese grated 5-6 Tbsp

Oil 2 Tbsp (If pan frying)

Method

Step 1

Use a mallet to beat the chicken breasts till then are of even thickness. Prick them with a fork and marinate them in salt and pepper and let them rest for about 30 min.

Step 2

Pan fry the chicken till it is cooked. You can even bake it the chicken till cooked if you are calorie conscious. Let the chicken cool and cut it in chunks.

Step 3

In a food processor puree Garlic, Basil and Celery. Add Mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp Parmesan and pulse the mixture once again.

Step 4

Combine the pureed mixture with cooked chicken chunks, add the remaining parmesan and serve. This Salad is best served at Room temperature along with lots of tomatoes, greens and eggs.

Trivia about Basil

Basil is used for its medicinal properties in Ayurveda, the traditional medicinal system of India and Siddha medicine, a traditional Tamil system of medicine. They are also used as drinks in Southeast Asia. Source: Wikipedia

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I run my own software company, SANIsoft as it’s CEO. After long hours at work, I find cooking incredibly therapeutic. After all, there is nothing more relaxing than cooking up a meal to soothe the body, mind and Soul.

The idea for Swati’s Kitchen came about one day as I was chronicling one of my recipes for a dear friend. So here you will see my recipes and tips and tricks for making easy, rewarding and mouthwatering delights.